With all due respect I disagree. And it's certainly not silly to be debating it. As I've said earlier, I believe McDonnell has been one of our better players this season - but he also has flaws in his game. He doesn't score enough tries (2 all season is a poor return) and IMO he isn't a great third pivot. His passing isn't good enough. Compare his try assists with likes of Tomkins or Hodgson. So whilst he's been good, he's not been good enough (IMO) to justify keeping a player of Shaul's undoubted ability and potential out of the side.

Shaul has gone beyond the point where sending him out on dual reg and playing against inferior opponents is going to help his development. Quite the opposite, it is more likely to stunt his development. We could play him on the wing, but if he's to realise his potential as a full back then he's needs to be playing in that position regularly against SL opposition.

If we agree that Shaul is Hull FC's future at full back, then based on his performances to date and his potential up curve it's a no brainer. Hull FC should be doing everything they can to maximise that potential as soon as possible, like we have with Lineham and, to a degree Crooks. That's tough on McDonnell, but that's professional sport.

Based purely on a playing front, Shaul is an excellent support player, a natural try scorer, and more direct when he returns the ball (backed up by his average metres per carry stat). So in some aspects of his play he actually outperforms McDonnell already.

With continued improvement and experience through SL game time I'd expect him to eclipse, or at least equal, McDonnell in several other aspects of full back play before too long. So looking at the bigger picture, it's Shaul all the way for me.

McDonnell a decent pivot/good passing game? That has to be a joke - our attack used to come to a halt when he got the ball.

I really don't rate the guy that highly. In attack he isn't much of a threat, he isn't particularly quick or strong, doesn't score many tries, rarely backs-up & supports or gets on the end of grubbers. He's an elusive runner and very good at evading defenders with ball in hand, but that's pretty much it.

In defense, his one on one tackling is decent, he's alright under the highball, but has certainly had his moments. I don't think his positioning is that good when defending close to the line, not wanting to put his body where it hurts.

Yeah, Shaul for me (if you'd not already guessed).

The Chairman may influence team selection at some clubs but I don't want to see it at Hull FC.

Edited for accuracy.

Really enjoying Shauls injection of pace and his try scoring at a time when we look a bit toothless in attack.
But then I wonder if the loss of McDonnell is the key factor in our attack looking short of ideas. Shannons combinations with the pivots were starting to pay off and his entry into the line either side was a key factor in our three-quarters looking dangerous.
Is the answer to our attacking problems as simple as us just having that extra man arriving in the line with perfect timing? Maybe this is an attribute Jamie still can learn from Shannon.

We need 2 full backs in the squad and it's great to have competition.